Canon EOS 500D wins best SLR title

Canon's EOS 500D has won European SLR Camera of the Year in the annual contest run by the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA), the membership of which includes AP.

The EOS 500D was described by judges as an 'excellent DSLR for both novices and advanced amateurs'.

The citation added: 'The quality of the HD video is so impressive that it might provoke the beginning of a new movie-making hobby for some users.'

Buy a Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

Olympus's E-P1 was named Camera of the Year, judges applauding the appeal of its elegant retro design. (Buy Olympus PEN E-P1)

Nikon's D3x won the title European Professional Camera and Canon's EOS 5D Mark II triumphed in the Advanced Camera category. (Buy a Nikon D3x)

The European Lens award went to the 'lightweight and affordable' Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 IF EX DG HSM. (Buy Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 IF EX DG HSM AF Lens Nikon)

EISA's best lens for travel was the Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Macro. The top zoom lens accolade was handed to Sony's 70-400mm f/4-5.6 G SSM. (Buy Tamron 18-270mm Canon)

Photo Innovation of the Year honours went to Fujifilm's Super CCD EXR imaging sensor.

Multimedia Camera of 2009-2010 was Panasonic's Lumix DMC-GH1. 'It combines the advantages of a compact camera with those of a DSLR: it is lightweight, has a small body, a high-resolution electronic viewfinder and Live View.' (Buy Panasonic GH1)

Via Amateur Photographer

Canon 500D/T1i DSLR reviewed by CameraLabs

Read Gordon Laing's full review of the Canon T1i at cameralabs.com

Canon’s EOS 500D – or Rebel T1i as it’s known in North America – is the company’s latest entry-to-mid-level DSLR and the successor to the hugely popular EOS 450D / Rebel XSi. Announced towards the end of March 2009, the 500D / T1i externally resembles its predecessor with exactly the same dimensions and similar weight, but inherits a number of features from the higher-end EOS 50D and EOS 5D Mark II models; it also becomes the company’s second DSLR to feature HD video recording.

The EOS 500D / Rebel T1i features a jump from the 12.2 Megapixels of its predecessor to the same 15.1 Megapixels as the semi-pro EOS 50D. Canon describes the sensor as being almost the same as the 50D's, and indeed it also shares the same 100-12800 ISO sensitivity range and 14-bit processing.

Buy a Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

Canon EOS 500D/T1i Reviewed

Mark Goldstein at PhotographyBlog.com has a review of the Canon EOS 500D.

With the addition of full HD video, a greatly-expanded ISO range and a fantastically high-res LCD screen, the new Canon EOS 500D / Digital Rebel T1i has graduated to the ranks of mid-range, prosumer DSLR. Add an increased price-tag of $799.99 / £869.99, and this can no longer be considered an entry-level model, with a feature set and cost that in many ways equals and even surpasses the higher-in-the-range EOS 50D model. The 500D's handling certainly isn't as good, with a body that's still a little too small for average to large-sized hands, but for many people the inclusion of full HD video will more than compensate for that.

Buy a Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

Read the full review at photographyblog.com.

Canon Rebel T1i preview

The major new feature of the EOS 500D / Rebel T1i, and undoubtedly the one which will gather the most attention, is its HD video recording capability – indeed it’s only the second Canon DSLR to offer the facility after the high-end the EOS 5D Mark II. Unlike any model in the existing Canon EOS or compact range, the EOS 500D / T1i offers a choice of HD video recording quality from 1080p or 720p, the latter allowing longer recording times. This is a considerate and very welcome feature, although frustratingly the 1080p mode only records at 20fps compared to 30fps for the 720p option. Canon explained to us this was due to the limitations of the two-channel readout of the sensor. Perhaps it would have been better to avoid a compromised 1080p mode altogether and the negative comments it has received though, and just concentrate on what will almost certainly be a great-looking 720p mode.

Check full text at Camera Labs.

CameraTown says Canon EOS Rebel T1i HD Video Misses the Mark

Canon released today their first Rebel dSLR with HD video recording, putting an emphasis on its ability to capture HD video recording at resolutions up to 1080p. The EOS Rebel T1i was an important camera for Canon as they were forced to play catch up to Nikon's 2008 release of the D90. The D90 was the first dSLR to ship with HD video capabilities AND it came in under the $1000 mark. Canon has since released the ($2700) EOS 5D Mark II, a professional dSLR with HD video capabilities, but definitely needed a model with video capabilities under $1000. Like the Nikon D90, the limited usefulness of the Rebel T1i's video mode shouldn't hurt sales of the camera - especially for those that could care less about video to begin with. As a camera, the Rebel T1i is priced very aggressively at $799 (body) and $899 (with 18-55mm IS Lens) and takes many of the new features of the more expensive EOS 50D and EOS 5D Mark II and adds them to the Rebel series. The 15.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 processing, and superior HIGH ISO performance - that should match that of the more expensive EOS-50D - along with Peripheral Illumination Correction (for up to 40 lenses) and Canon's Auto Lighting Optimizer technology will provide consumers with an advanced photographic tool that is unrivaled at a price under $1000 - at least for now.

Via CameraTown

Rumors Of Canon EOS 500D

Ubergizmo over here says:

Word on the street has it that Canon will be introducing a brand new DSLR from the Rebel range known as the EOS 500D. It seems that the Canon EOS 500D will come with a 15-megapixel sensor, a DIGIC IV imaging processor, ISO levels of up to a whopping 12,800, and an articulating LCD display with 900k resolution as well as a 1080p movie mode which will be an extension of the 5D Mark II and similar to the one found in the Panasonic Lumix DMC GH1. Just remember to take all those information with a pinch of salt as nothing is finalized just yet.

Canon 500D Close-up Lens Review

The Canon 500D Close-up Lens is a small double-element lens that threads onto the filter threads on a standard (non-macro) lens. It allows that lens to be focused at a much closer distance- resulting in a higher magnification of the subject. The Canon 500D Close-up Lens is intended to be used on lenses with a focal length of 70mm-300mm. If you only want to shoot at macro distances infrequently, the Canon 500D Close-up Lens might be what you want.
Read the full review here.

CanonRumors: 500D Release Delayed?

(EOS 450D pictured)

CanonRumors reports from an undisclosed source that due to the economic downfall, Canon may delay the launch of the 500D model until fall 2009. That means almost a year, dudes. They also note that the rumor should be taken with a grain of salt. We'll wait and see.

Check out the CanonRumors report here.

DentonImages.com says:

"The Canon EOS 500D Camera (will most likely be called Canon Rebel followed by some letters in the USA, possibly Rebel TSi) is rumored to be announced at PMA 2009, updating Canon's entry level DSLR lineup. Just to add to the confusion, the Canon 500D is also the name of a +2 diopter available in 72mm and 77mm threads for close-up photography.
Initial rumors (according to CanonRumors) put the camera at 15 megapixels 1.6x crop sensor (the sensor from the Canon 50D perhaps?), ISO 100-3200, capable of 3.5 f.p.s."